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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To put the only freezer in the garage at bottom of garden?

34 replies

PlantMammaXXX · 27/05/2025 10:29

AIBU to put the only freezer in the garage at the bottom of the garden to create more space for a dining table in my kitchen?

Family of 4. Two small children. Will I regret it? Currently can’t all sit around the table as not enough space.

OP posts:
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LadySouthStar · 27/05/2025 14:50

I would prefer to have a foldaway table in the living room personally

Sharptonguedwoman · 27/05/2025 13:50

PlantMammaXXX · 27/05/2025 10:34

Currently have a fridge freezer in the dining area (also not ideal as not that close to kitchen counters) but have a barely used tumble dryer that I could replace with an under counter fridge and free up a decent bit of space.

Put the tumble drier in the garage? Put a fold down table in the living room?

Glittertwins · 27/05/2025 13:28

Will a fridge freezer be big enough when the children grow though? We had to get another freezer as a fridge freezer wasn’t big enough. We do have a lot of batch cooked frozen meals though.

dustydvd · 27/05/2025 12:29

Trumptonagain · 27/05/2025 10:42

Don't you have to be careful with putting fridge freezers outside, due to needing differing temperatures?

This. There a very limited manufacturers that say their freezers can go in a garage ( we didn’t know this until we were buying one recently) our garage is integral and we’re still warned so be aware!

Octavia64 · 27/05/2025 12:19

I’ve done this. It really really was quite a faff.

I brought stuff in and put it in the small freezer compartment in the fridge.

SabreIsMyFave · 27/05/2025 12:19

user2848502016 · 27/05/2025 12:06

What about a fridge with a small freezer compartment in the top - keep frequent use stuff in there like ice cubes and peas with the rest, and fridge overflow in garage fridge freezer

There's such a lot you can't keep in there though, as it doesn't get really properly cold/very frozen. As I said, ice creams don't stay solid in there, and I would never put any meat product in there. It's OK for peas and fries/chips and waffles and the like, but the vast majority of stuff would need to go in the 'proper' freezer. Unless the OP and her family are going to live on chips and peas, she will still be going to the freezer outside/in the garage pretty much every day.

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FlibbertyGibbitt · 27/05/2025 12:18

You need to ensure you can use it as an outside freezer - I’ve got one in the garage and when the temperature drops it switches off completely

TENSsion · 27/05/2025 12:17

I use ice often throughout the day so this would be a pain for me.

user2848502016 · 27/05/2025 12:06

What about a fridge with a small freezer compartment in the top - keep frequent use stuff in there like ice cubes and peas with the rest, and fridge overflow in garage fridge freezer

Sgtmajormummy · 27/05/2025 12:04

If you’re using the tumble dryer so little I’d choose that to move out. I know people have them in bedrooms if they’re the condenser (no vent) type.

BigDahliaFan · 27/05/2025 12:03

As others have said, there are only certain freezers that are able to be put in a garage.

We had our chest freezer in the lean to which was across a bit of decking that was treacherous in rain or ice....there was a lot of grumbling from whoever was sent out to get the fishfingers.

We've revamped the kitchen now and having the freezer inside is still one of the great bonuses.

Is there anywhere else in the house it could go?

Solmum1964 · 27/05/2025 11:50

We have a chest freezer in the garage at the bottom of the garden. It is raised up on wood so doesn't get as cold as if it was on the floor. I think it's only our second one in 33 years and was only replaced because the garage electrics kept tripping. It turned out it was the cable to the garage at fault and not the freezer. We also have the tumble dryer in the garage.
Yes, it's a bit of a pain but originally our kitchen was something like 6ft x 8ft so no other option at the time. At the moment, DH is quite happy to go down to the garage most evenings.
I'd like to make some changes to the kitchen layout before we get too old and have a fridge/freezer in the kitchen and maybe convert the small room off the kitchen into a utility room - but that would need a different type of dryer as nowhere to vent it to.

butteredhorseradish · 27/05/2025 11:34

No I wouldn't do that. It will be a right pain having to put shoes on and traipse off down the garden to get food out of the freezer in the pissing rain.

SabreIsMyFave · 27/05/2025 11:16

Our freezer is in our garage because we don't have much white goods space in our kitchen, and whilst I've got used to it, I would much prefer it to be in the kitchen. It's a pain when the weather is bad (the garage is 15 feet away from the house,) and I just get annoyed at having to go out for food, and for ice creams etc.

We have a fridge with a mini freezer in the top that would hold around 4 packs of 12 fish fingers that we keep bits and bobs in like peas and fries and ice cubes, but we can't keep ice creams in it because it doesn't stay cold enough, and they get sloppy. (Funny how the ice stays frozen!) I wouldn't keep anything with meat in it in there either.

Not sure if I would move a freezer outside, 20 feet away just to make way for a table in the kitchen. Is there no room in the lounge? (For the table - not the freezer!)

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Trumptonagain · 27/05/2025 11:09

Sahara123 · 27/05/2025 10:58

That’s a good point . The freezer part of our outdoor fridge freezer doesn’t really freeze in the winter. Something to do with the compressor?! The actual free standing freezer works fine. There is a brand that doesn’t have this problem, I’m afraid I can’t remember it , but hopefully google will help

Yes, you can buy specific fridge freezers to go outside but I think they have separate gubbins to make them fine to work separately in low temperatures.

I just had a separate under counter fridge and freezer outside and stacked them for space saving.

Sahara123 · 27/05/2025 11:06

P00hsticks · 27/05/2025 11:03

you'd need to check that the freezer will work at the low garage temperatures - when we looked a few years ago Beko were the only manufacturer that produced ones that would still operate happily outdoors even at below freezing temperatures. Fridge freezers won't work properly once the outside temperature drops below that of the fridge (5C).

Beko! That was it 👍

P00hsticks · 27/05/2025 11:03

you'd need to check that the freezer will work at the low garage temperatures - when we looked a few years ago Beko were the only manufacturer that produced ones that would still operate happily outdoors even at below freezing temperatures. Fridge freezers won't work properly once the outside temperature drops below that of the fridge (5C).

Sahara123 · 27/05/2025 11:03

PlantMammaXXX · 27/05/2025 10:34

Currently have a fridge freezer in the dining area (also not ideal as not that close to kitchen counters) but have a barely used tumble dryer that I could replace with an under counter fridge and free up a decent bit of space.

My tumble dryer is also in the garage as I barely use it! It went on with a timer at midnight it last night to make use of our EV tariff

Sahara123 · 27/05/2025 11:01

PlantMammaXXX · 27/05/2025 10:36

I’d be removing our fridge freezer and just having an under counter fridge in kitchen with a fridge freezer in garage.

I’ve mentioned this already, but really do your homework, some fridge freezers the freezer part doesn’t freeze when the air temperature gets too cold. Something works in the summer but not in the winter. There’s a brand which doesn’t have this problem but I can’t remember, sorry . Hopefully google will come up with it

Sahara123 · 27/05/2025 10:58

Trumptonagain · 27/05/2025 10:42

Don't you have to be careful with putting fridge freezers outside, due to needing differing temperatures?

That’s a good point . The freezer part of our outdoor fridge freezer doesn’t really freeze in the winter. Something to do with the compressor?! The actual free standing freezer works fine. There is a brand that doesn’t have this problem, I’m afraid I can’t remember it , but hopefully google will help

PurpleThistle7 · 27/05/2025 10:55

I would personally find this super annoying but I'd also find not having a table super annoying so...

Can you take out two things and put an under counter fridge 'and' freezer in? Use the garage for dry goods storage or similar?

We have the freezer in our garage but it's just a door of the kitchen and it's 'still' annoying

TheNinkyNonkyIsATardis · 27/05/2025 10:52

Hmm. I've just trudged out in the rain to the tumble dryer in the shed. I only need it once or twice a week, and it's still a faff. Need the freezer regularly.

Would you be able to take out a cupboard and store some pantry items in the garage instead?

RealEagle · 27/05/2025 10:48

PlantMammaXXX · 27/05/2025 10:36

I’d be removing our fridge freezer and just having an under counter fridge in kitchen with a fridge freezer in garage.

I’ve done this but my garage has an internal door so no getting wet.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 27/05/2025 10:45

PlantMammaXXX · 27/05/2025 10:34

Currently have a fridge freezer in the dining area (also not ideal as not that close to kitchen counters) but have a barely used tumble dryer that I could replace with an under counter fridge and free up a decent bit of space.

It's a lot closer to the counters than it would be down the garden, though.

Sahara123 · 27/05/2025 10:44

I’ve done this. It works very well, but I do have a fridge freezer in the kitchen and keep a small stock of what we use most in there. I think I’d struggle without that.
I have a small fridge freezer and separate freezer in the garage which isn’t connected to the house. I try and remember when I come home if I need to bring in more milk, dinner etc !